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“Thank you. I’ve worked hard to become so.”
He chuckled.
“Are you coming?” Kiera asked.
Madeline smiled at him, turned, and dove into the pool. She surfaced, took a breath, and swam with a quick stroke past Kiera.
Kiera gave a happy cry and took up pursuit. Nolan watched them swim a few lengths. They took a break to laugh and tease about who was faster, and then they took off swimming again. Kiera readily accepted everyone but he felt a special connection between her and Madeline.
As they approached where he stood, he dove in, angling underneath Madeline and surfacing to swoop Kiera out of the water.
“Pops!” she cried out, happy as always. “Throw me!”
Kiera was an interesting mix of little girl, mature adult because she was around adults too often, and teenager. Nolan tried not to baby her, but he liked when she was his little girl. He wasn’t ready for her to grow up.
He launched her into the air. She hit the water with a terrific splash.
Kiera popped up and swam back to him. “Again, please. But this time, can we make a trick out of it?”
“Of course we can.” She stood on his legs, and he threw her into a controlled launch. She twisted and flipped before diving into the water.
Madeline watched them with a sweet smile on her face. With her hair wet and slicked back, the exotic beauty of her high cheekbones and glowing emerald eyes was even more pronounced.
He threw Kiera several more times, and then his daughter turned to Madeline. “Pops should throw you.”
“Oh, sweet girl, I am much too old to throw.”
“You’re old?” Kiera looked her over, her brow creased with confusion. “You don’t look old. You look younger than Pops, and he’s very strong and young for a dad.”
“The king isunbelievablystrong,” Madeline said, giving him a secretive smile.
Nolan felt strong and as if he were thirty again, seeing appreciation and a yearning in Madeline’s gaze. He tried not to puff out his chest and flex, but it was hard to resist.
“Will it hurt you if he throws you?” Kiera asked.
“No, I don’t think so. I only … no one has thrown me since I was a child.” She looked vulnerable, beautiful, and as if she hadn’t played around like this in years. Why would she? Chad was grown, and she had no grandchildren like adorable Sunny to beg her to play. The highlight of Malik and Sophie’s visits for him.
“Well, it’s high time you were thrown, then,” Kiera said, sounding as mature as a twenty-year-old. “I saw how lovely you dove into the pool. So here’s what we’ll do.” She gestured to Madeline. “Come close, please.”
Nolan’s pulse sped up as Madeline pushed through the shallow water, her eyes fastened on him.
“Now Pops will bend low. You’ll stand on his legs, and you’ll crouch too, you see?” Kiera demonstrated. “Then Pops will wrap his hands around your bum and toss you into the air as you leap at the same time. Timing is crucial with tricks. Then you’ll dive into the water, and it won’t hurt one bit. All right then?” She nodded eagerly.
Nolan’s heart was thumping out of control, and Madeline’s eyes went wide.
“Um, not her bum, love,” Nolan said. “Maybe her legs.”
Kiera scrunched her nose and lifted her hands. “Whatever you think, Pops. You’re the expert thrower.”
“I am.” This time he puffed out his chest. Kiera laughed, while Madeline’s gaze seemed to grow hotter.
Kiera tugged Madeline close to him. Nolan squatted as instructed and then he had no option but to wrap his arms around Madeline’s waist and help her stand on his thighs. She squatted down close, and Nolan lost track of his thoughts. Madeline was pressed back into him, her hair tickling his nose and chin. All he wanted was to turn her to face him and see if kissing was included in their fake dating arrangement.
“All right, you can’t keep holding her stomach, Pops. You’ve got to grab her bum, or legs, or whatever.”
Nolan slid his hands from her waist down to her legs. He realized instantly he should’ve released her and repositioned his hands, but his excuse was he wanted to hold her steady. Running his hands from her waist, along her hips, and to her firm thighs did not make him steady at all. In fact, he felt lightheaded and not strong like Madeline and Kiera had both said he was.
“Okay,” Kiera called. “3 … 2 … 1!”
